| News and events in Pittsfield, Mass.
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Dalton Finalizes Town Manager ContractBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:16AM / Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | |
Eric Anderson DALTON, Mass. — Town Manager Eric Anderson will start in his new role Nov. 17. It was announced during the Select Board meeting on Monday that the town had successfully negotiated a three-year contract with Anderson. "The contract negotiations were as smooth as possibly one could imagine, and Eric Anderson was here yesterday for the signing of the contract," interim Town Manager Henry "Terry" Williams told iBerksires. "I met with him for a number of hours yesterday, and he and I are looking forward to his arrival, and it appears to me as though he's a perfect fit for the town going 0 Comments
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Guest Column: When Behavioral Health Funding Is Cut, the Berkshires Pays the PriceBy Diana L. Knaebe, Community Submission
05:28PM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
 The Brien Center is Berkshire County's leading provider of behavioral health services, dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing mental health and addiction challenges. As funding pressures threaten these vital services, we have prepared this op-ed to highlight the urgent need for sustained investment in behavioral health care in our community. We hope this piece will raise awareness and inspire action to ensure that every resident of Berkshire County has access to the care they deserve. In Berkshire County, we pride ourselves on taking care of one another. But this spirit of care is being tested as state and federal funding cuts threaten the services many of 0 Comments
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BCC Sees Dramatic Increase in Enrollment, Thanks to Free Tuition Programs| 02:36PM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
 When the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed legislation creating programs that provide free tuition for community college students — MassReconnect in 2023 and MassEducate in 2024 — administrators at Berkshire Community College knew it would be life-changing for so many of its students. Now that data is available, the boon it created is even greater than anticipated. In 2022, amid the pandemic when enrollment was at a historic low, there were just 1,380 students enrolled at BCC for a total of 11,091 credits. Those numbers have risen rapidly in just three years, with 2025 data showing 2,085 students enrolled (a 51.1 percent increase) for a total of 16,868 credits (a 52.1 percent 0 Comments
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Pittsfield CPA Public Hearing Set for Nov. 3| 07:44AM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Community Preservation Committee will be holding a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 related to the use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and the City of Pittsfield's priorities in relation to the Community Preservation Plan. The hearing will be held in Room 203 on the second floor of City Hall, 70 Allen Street. Also, the Committee announces that the project eligibility application process for a new year of CPA funding is open through Nov. 15. The Committee will provide an overview of previous allocations of CPA funds and welcomes public participation to understand community priorities as it begins a new year of 0 Comments
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Pittsfield School Candidates Debate PHS Investigation, District NeedsBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:30AM / Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidates for the School Committee weighed in on transparency, district restructuring, and other issues during the Oct. 16 debate hosted by Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires.
Nine community members are running to fill the committee's six seats: Ciara Batory, Sarah Muil, Daniel Elias, Katherine Yon, Jacob Klein, Geoffrey Buerger, Heather McNiece, Vicky Smith, and Carolyn Barry. The debate, moderated by iBerkshires Bureau Chief Brittany Polito, was held at Berkshire Community College's Boland Theater. (See coverage of their opening statements here.)
The Pittsfield High School staffing scandal, which began to unfold at the
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Pittsfield Halloween Parade Celebrates Parades PastBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
07:56PM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
iBerkshires joined the parade for the first time. See more photos here. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — For nearly eight decades, downtown Pittsfield has turned its streets into a chilling spectacle for one night each year during its Halloween Parade. This year's parade was no different with 35 community organizations showcasing the ghosts of parade past, with participants designing or dressing up as past Halloween parades. The parade has a long history dating back to the mid-1940s, when General Electric and other local businesses created spooky floats and marched down North Street. The parade moved to Tyler Street in 2011. When planning her first Halloween 0 Comments
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New Moon Lodge Veteran Resource Fair & Dinner ReturnsBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
03:27PM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The New Moon Lodge's ballroom will once again be filled with resources to support veterans during its second annual resource fair and dinner event. Last year more than 200 area veterans and their families attended and left with full bellies, a handful of helpful resources, new connections with fellow veterans, and a reinforced sense of community support.
Veterans Registration Form and links to make a donation here. "This whole thing is to bring a better quality of life to our brothers and sisters in the veterans community," said Kyle Kuffel, veteran officer for Masonic District 31 of 0 Comments
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Fatally Shot Juvenile Found In Pittsfield Car Accident| 02:23PM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Taconic High student was discovered fatally shot on Sunday evening after the vehicle he was driving crashed into a tree at intersection of Franco Terrace and Parker Street. Family members informed The Berkshire Eagle that the victim was Brodie Slonski, 17, who was in Taconic's metal fabrication program. Berkshire County District Attorney's Office had not identified the victim because he was a juvenile. Police said they responded to 17 Parker St. at about 6:14 p.m. on Sunday for the report of a single vehicle collision. They found a white Honda HR-V with the steering wheel and side curtain airbags deployed, the hood bent inward and 0 Comments
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Pittsfield Schools Plan Special Meeting Before Middle Restructuring VoteBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
12:25PM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The school district is approaching its progress point that will determine if the middle schools will restructure next school year.
A Committee of the Whole meeting is planned the week after Thanksgiving so that city officials and community members are up to date when a decision is made on Dec. 10, the last School Committee meeting of the year.
"The intent here is not to drop the program without any prior discussion on Dec. 10, but rather also to give the School Committee and the community at large more information about where the work stands at that point, and also to enable the School Committee to have any input or ask any pointed
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Pittsfield Street Improvement Project: Oct 27-31| 07:52AM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
 PITTSFIELD, Mass. Be advised that the following street improvements are scheduled from October 27-31: Contracted Road Work: 10/27: Loam and seed Allengate Avenue, Taconic Park Drive and Tamie Way 10/28: Finish paving Taconic Park Drive, Tamie Way and Vista Street 10/29 & 10/30: Finish paving Allengate Avenue and Michael Drive West Street project update The construction of new sidewalks and curbing work continues. The traffic signal installation prep work also continues. During this work, lane closures at various sections are expected. We encourage drivers to seek alternate routes if possible. Sidewalk Repairs: Wendell Avenue between Broad Street and Colt Road Bartlett 0 Comments
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Dalton Council Establishes Senior Center Use PolicyBy Sabrina Damms, iBerkshires Staff
05:44AM / Monday, October 27, 2025 | |
DALTON, Mass. — The Council on Aging has revised its building usage policy to make its intended purpose clearer. Since the pandemic, usage of the Senior Center has grown substantially. What started as maybe two to three town meetings a month has grown to accommodate 11 different committees, often resulting in multiple meetings a day, said Kelly Pizzi, Council on Aging and Senior Center executive director in a letter to the Select Board. "We have been getting increased pressure from some members of the town to open the building for non-town related activities and events," she said. The increase in interest prompted the counsel to 0 Comments
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School Committee Candidates Debate at BCCBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:26PM / Sunday, October 26, 2025 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Candidates for the School Committee covered pressing city issues during a recent debate hosted by Pittsfield Community Television and iBerkshires.
Nine people are running to fill the committee's six seats: Ciara Batory, Sarah Muil, Daniel Elias, Katherine Yon, Jacob Klein, Geoffrey Buerger, Heather McNiece, Vicky Smith, and Carolyn Barry.
The debate held on Oct. 16 at Berkshire Community College's Boland Theatre was moderated by Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Pittsfield Bureau Chief. Candidates answered enveloped questions from a bulletin board in threes.
Topics ranged from the middle school restructuring and proposed new school in
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